This week in the Digital Educational Leadership program at Seattle Pacific University, I am exploring the roles of communication and collaboration in peer coaching as they align with ISTE Coaching Standards 1 & 2. Foltos asserted that “A skillful coach uses communication skills to encourage a collaborating teacher to think more deeply about a topic or to help the teacher reflect” (2013). It is important to create that balance between inquiry and advocacy due to the fact that our coaching plans do have a point and ensuring that we are communicating effectively will help us achieve our end goal.
Of course, there are basic meeting guidelines like setting norms, building trust, and respecting time and space of the collaborating teacher. Those elements do seem pretty basic at this point and although I am not going to fixate on them wholly I hope to examine the generational differences and expectations for peer coaching or meetings. For example, in the past, I may have done something as simple as bringing my phone to a meeting and that could have set off a peer I was speaking to without me realizing it. Therefore, I don’t necessarily believe in the necessity of these norms every single time you bring a peer relationship.
What communication techniques assist in persuading a reluctant learner to believe in a technology-enhanced learning experience for students?
While listening to the ISTE Professional Learning Series webinar “Social Media as an Educator: Modeling Digital Citizenship Daily Professionally and Personally,” presented by ISTE Digital Citizenship Network. The facilitators Nancy Stone Penchev a coding/I-lab teacher and Lauren Villaluz a Technology Integration Specialist in Oakland Schools in Michigan. The webinar opened with a quote that I think we should keep in the back of our minds “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” I want to keep that quote in mind because right now the word “reluctant learners” as it pertains to teachers is depressing. I loved how in education I felt like a forever learner and that requires change and evolution.
A couple of other ideas that came up near the end of the webinar should also be established as a point of reference. If teachers do not start believing in a tech-enhanced learning experience for students they will not be able to help a student talk about “who’s writing their story online. Teachers will not be able to demonstrate how to become “proactive about your own digital footprint and to think carefully about how you represent yourself” online. If reluctant learners do not start admitting that they too can fail and make mistake they will not have authentic conversations with students about their online life. Education is shifting and as material goes online it is all about how the teachers handle mistakes made online and how important it is to “be the first to respond to your own mistakes, be upfront about the mistake and model how to handle it”. This is how we move from just digital citizens to digital leaders in the classroom.
But as all new things are scary we have to keep in mind some of the concerns that these reluctant learners have about online services and social media. “According to a 2009 report published by The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Microsoft titled, “Boomers and Technology: An Extended Conversation”, “Boomers” have a few
minimum criteria when it comes to technology: They want technology to:”
- be safe and easy to use;
- adapt to their specific needs;
- connect each other;
- act as a tool, not a tyrant;
- be a force for good.
Other issues the reluctant learner has is that the service is too complicated, no training is available, and safety/security concerns. Now for some of these people, it will be hard to convince them that even if they cover their camera on their laptop and turn off their Bluetooth on their cell phones that their data is still being collected. The idea that free is never free can’t be stressed enough and the only way the students are going to learn smart appropriate behavior is often from the teachers they interact with on a daily basis.
I suppose my thought process is two-fold on one side is how do we convince the reluctant learners that teaching technology and specifically safe actions on social media are essential but also the fact that they are not participating is a detriment to their students. The first thing I want to establish is that when I interact with any reluctant educator I start by listening to all their concerns. I want to start with an element of trust to demonstrate that I am on their side and by the end, I hope to show them how tools online can be used for good and are not always so evil. Beginning with a demonstration and admission about how I have failed in my online life and how I have gotten tangled up in immature conversations on Facebook and Twitter and no matter what those posts stick around and follow me throughout my life. Careers and education can slip through your fingers if when you Google yourself negative images or material pops up instead of positive actions and resumes.
Resources:
Dale, N. (2016, July 21). Why Instructional Design Must Focus on Learning Outcomes, Not Learning Activities – EdSurge News. Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-07-21-why-instructional-design-must-focus-on-learning-outcomes-not-learning-activities?utm_content=buffer65095&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
ISTE Professional Learning Series webinar “Social Media as an Educator: Modeling Digital Citizenship Daily Professionally and Personally. (2017, October 11). Retrieved October 16, 2017, from http://iste.adobeconnect.com/pml3r2xw7lhd/.
